


Squirrel Fund

by Wolfcry22



Series: Shame [5]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Abusive John Winchester, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angry Dean Winchester, Angry Sam Winchester, Angst and Feels, Dead Mary Winchester, Dean Winchester Takes Care of Sam Winchester, Dean Winchester is Protective of Sam Winchester, Dean Winchester is Sam Winchester's Parent, Drunk John Winchester, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotionally Hurt Dean Winchester, Emotionally Hurt Sam Winchester, Frustrated Dean Winchester, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, John Winchester Bashing, John Winchester Being an Asshole, John Winchester Being an Idiot, Overprotective Dean Winchester, Pre-Season/Series 01, Protective Dean Winchester, Sad Dean Winchester, Sad Sam Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:29:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26047315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfcry22/pseuds/Wolfcry22
Summary: After a long day Dean comes home to find that John spent all of their reserve money that Sam was going to use for college (Based off a scene from the TV show Shameless)
Relationships: Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester
Series: Shame [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1883236
Kudos: 60





	Squirrel Fund

**Author's Note:**

> Here is yet another Shameless scene that can be used in the Supernatural universe. I know that John Winchester isn’t bipolar like Monica was, but I can still see him doing something like this. This is Canon Divergent with Dean helping a lot when it comes to getting Sam out of there life for college because he knows that is what is best for Sam. Although, I could see this scene happening at any point when John wouldn’t leave them enough money or went out drinking with the money that should’ve been used for food for his kids. You don’t have to watch Shameless to appreciate this scene. The Shameless scene it is based on is from Season 2 Episode 10.
> 
> Warning for implied/referenced alcoholism, implied physical abuse, language, and triggering themes that may not be suitable for everyone.

Dean waltzed back in from a long day of actual honest work. He and Sam had been holed up in the same town going on two months now while their father dealt with a poltergeist. Dean had been helping out when he could, but he was mostly working at the local hardware store. He had promised that he would help Sam pay for the applications to the colleges that he was applying to. It was fairly steep, especially when they factored in cost of the motel room, food, and transportation to and from their respective jobs. Dean had wanted to run another credit card scam like they always usually did, but Sam had been insistent that he wanted to do this the right way. He wanted there to be no way for anyone to trace any shady dealings to him and his account. Dean may not have understood it fully, but he understood it enough to know that this was important to Sam, which meant he was going to do his best to get this done.

He kicked off his shoes halfway to the kitchen and stopped at the fridge. He threw it open and found that all the beer was gone (no surprise there) and decided to settle for a bottle of refreshing Coke. It wasn’t exactly what he was after, but it was something. Dean brought the bottle up to his lips and downed half of it when he heard the pounding of footsteps. Whoever they belonged to wasn’t even trying to be quiet.

Dean lowered the bottle from his mouth when he saw Sam approaching him, fuming. “Hey, Sammy. You’re back from work early.” Sam worked at a local animal shelter and enjoyed it more than Dean had ever seen him enjoy anything else. “Not enough kennels to clean?”

“I had to leave early,” he replied curtly.

That was certainly not Sam. This was the same Sam that had gone into work when he had a double ear infection and lost his voice. He didn’t just come home early for nothing.

“Why?”

Sam gnawed on his bottom lip, jaw clenched. “I had to bust Dad out of jail.”

“You what?!” While their father getting busted for impersonation of a government official or grave robbing wasn’t exactly unusual, it certainly was strange that John would call Sam instead of Dean. “What for?”

“Bar fight.”

“Is he okay?”

“The officer at the precinct said he’s going to be fine. It’s the other patrons that he’s worried about.” Scorn echoed in Sam’s voice, mingled with apathy. 

Dean swallowed thickly, a glob of saliva catching in the back of his throat. “O-Other patrons?”

“Apparently he beat the shit out of two other guys who were just as drunk as him. The EMTs said that Dad may have a concussion but he was too drunk to tell.” Sam scratched against the side of his jaw and Dean saw a small bruise beginning to show. Sam hadn’t had that when he left the motel that morning and Dean could only assume that it came from John.

Dean gave his head a couple quick shakes. “Well, don’t let him fall asleep.”

“What you’re AWOL all this time and now you’re giving orders,” Sam spat, voice dripping with malice.

Dean straightened with his shoulders braced back. The exhaustion that he felt the moment he walked in was replaced by raw hostility that tingled from the very tips of his fingers to very depths of his soul. “I’ve been around! I’ve been trying to work so that you can afford the application fees and this life that may not look like much, but it still costs money.”

Logically Sam knew what Dean said was true. Both of them were working as hard as humanly possible to make Sam’s dream a reality. However, Sam’s anger for the entire situation was boiling over and Dean was caught in the crosshairs of his outburst. He didn’t want to lash out at his brother, but it was easier than lashing out at their father, who would have no reaction to the entire ordeal.

“Huh, that’s funny because every time I come home from school or work I hear from Dad that you’re across town at the bar,” Sam spat.

Dean stood rigid. There was no disputing that. However, Dean wasn’t sure if it was everyday that he was there. He needed something to help him relax from the monotony of work and taking care of everyone. “I need a break sometimes, Sam. This shit is fucking hard! I just want to relax sometimes, but it doesn’t interfere with work or anything that goes on here. Nothing escapes my knowledge.”

“Oh really? Then you know that Dad spent all the squirrel fund money?!”

A tin had been secured in the back of one of the cabinets where Sam and Dean deposited the cash from working. That money would be used not only for Sam’s applications, but also clothes, food, and anything else that they may need. They had managed a nice cushion and it would only be about a week longer until Sam would have all the money that he needed for his applications and deposits. They had worked so hard for it, working overtime and going in early just to make ends meet and have a little extra. It had been months in the making and they finally had a little bit of cushion.

With a start, Dean rushed into the kitchen and reached above his head to the cabinet where they kept it. The tin was pushed to the complete back with cans of soup and canned vegetables hiding it from view. Dean’s fingers brushed against the smooth sides and he yanked the tin out. Immediately he knew that something was wrong because the tin was feather light. Although dollar bills didn’t amount to much weight, the coins in there should’ve made a jingling sound as they moved about.

Dean set the tin on the counter and plunged his hand into the top. Pulling back, Dean came out with receipts and nothing else. There wasn’t so much as one dollar bill or one penny. It had been completely emptied.

“You know I wouldn’t have even had cash to bail Dad out if I didn’t go down to work and beg for my paycheck early. Guess who probably won’t be scheduled to work for the next two weeks out of principal,” Sam continued, storming after Dean.

Dean continued to stare at the receipts in his shaking hands. Disbelief pounded through him. Hot, angry tears pooled in Dean’s eyes, but he didn’t dare let them fall. He didn’t get to be upset, at least not right now.

“The first rule you learn is this house is you hide the damn money!”

Dean flinched against Sam’s fierce tone. His brother was absolutely right. In fact, it was a rule that Dean had taught Sam. Dean could remember being as young as five taking money from their father’s wallet and tucking it away for later, knowing that John would blow their cash on alcohol and there may not be enough money to feed his sons. That had only continued as Dean had gotten older; keeping a percentage of his pool earnings from John had become routine.

With a rough swipe across his eyes, Dean lifted his gaze to Sam. There he only saw hostility and disappointment in his brother’s deep hazel eyes. “I thought he was doing better,” Dean offered lamely.

Sam scoffed in disbelief. “Does this look better to you? Just last night he came in drunk and tried to take a swing at you.” He took in a breath in an attempt to steady himself, which only made him seethe even more. “What did you think was going to happen, Dean?”

“I thought it might be different this time.” Dean had been hoping and praying for as long as he could remember that their father might finally wake up and see what he was doing to his sons. Every chance Dean seemed to give him, John would always prove just how irresponsible and reckless he could be. This time was no different.

Sam curled his lip, head nodding slowly, until he suddenly leaned forward so that he was a foot from his brother. When his spoke his voice was low and threatening. “And how did that kool-aid taste going down?”

Dean’s expression turned from stunned, to fearful, to furious. “Where is he?”

Sam pointed his head toward the hallway of their shady apartment at the one and only bedroom. It held a queen bed, but Sam and Dean still chose to alternate between sleeping on the couch and sleeping on the floor. At least that meant that neither of them would wake up in their father’s vomit after a night of binge drinking. It had gotten to the point that Dean rarely even went back there, too disgusted at what he may find in that cesspool.

Dean stormed through the hallway and into the dank smelling bedroom. There he found John just where he expected to. He was sprawled in the middle of the bed with a sheet strewn over him. He was still fully clothed and very much awake. However, Dean could tell by his vacant stare and slack facial muscles that he wasn’t really there. He was just a shell of his former self that Dean would be lucky to rouse any reaction out of.

“You could’ve killed someone, Dad! What were you thinking?!” Dean raked his fingers on either side of his face, feeling the welcomed sting. “You promised me.” Dean’s voice broke as he spoke. “Get out of bed.”

John made no sign that he either heard what Dean had said nor was going to do as his eldest asked.

Dean lunged forward and ripped the sheet from his father’s body. “Get out of bed, Dad!”

John’s eyes drifted closed as though settling down for the night. He hadn’t flinched at Dean’s words or even the thickening tension in the room.

“Fine, wallow here in self-pity for all I care!” Dean turned back stomped from the room, slamming the door in his wake. His hands lifted to his face as a broken sob pulsed from him. 

He emerged into the living room to find Sam gone. He was certain he couldn’t have gone far. Sam often went for runs to clear his head when things like this happened. Although Sam was usually the one to start arguments with their father or with Dean, he rarely enjoyed it. Sam attempted to ward off conflict for as long as possible until it bubbled up to boiling levels. After any release of that much pent up rage, Sam always chose to go for a run for his release. Dean would certainly rather have a drink to relax instead of getting all sweaty, but he could see how that may make him look a little more like John in Sam’s eyes.

Dean found his feet taking him over to the dishwasher in the small kitchen. His hands braced on top of the counter with his foot beginning to strike the appliance with displaced rage. Dean wasn’t wearing shoes so his sock covered feet hardly even jolted the dishwasher, but the impulse behind the vicious kicks were the same. His palms slammed onto the counter, a frustrated growl welling in his throat. A few more swift kicks sent jolts through Dean’s foot, radiating up his leg to his hip. It was only then that the kicks turned into small shuffles against the ground with tears beginning to stream from his eyes.

John had spent the squirrel fund money—the money that Sam was going to use to get out of this life and make something of himself. John had spent it while Dean was away, blissfully unaware of his father’s intentions. It may not have fully been Dean’s fault, but he sure felt like it was. 

Dean let out a final gasp as he stood bowed over the dishwasher. He gave a bleary sniffle and pulled his jacket from his body. He set it on the counter and turned to see the dishes that were practically spilling out. Sam hadn’t been home and it wasn’t like John was going to do any chores. Numb with frustration and exhaustion had Dean beginning to wash the dishes by hand and then placing them in the dishwasher. 

This sucked.

There was no way around that. It didn’t matter what they had gone through or what they had lost; Dean still needed to pick himself and Sam back up and do what they always did. They would start small by tidying up and maybe Dean would be able to treat Sam to some ice cream or something to lift his spirits. Then they would start saving again and find a new hiding spot for the squirrel fund. It wasn’t perfect—not by a long shot—but it was their life and there was no changing it, no matter how Dean felt about John. 

He and Sam would get through this, and hopefully John wouldn’t fuck them over in the process.

**Author's Note:**

> This story didn’t really have a happy ending like the other ones, since sometimes life doesn’t give you one. But, I like to imagine Dean dealing with this as Fiona did. He would pick himself up and keep going, which is something I definitely need to remind myself of. I hope you guys enjoyed it and are staying safe and healthy!


End file.
